Apparatus for applying protective coverings



Aug.'29, 1950 G. w. BROWN EI'AL 2,520,114

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PROTECTIVE COVERINGS 2 SheetS -SheJet 1' Qriginal FiledhJune 27. 1946 1N VEN TOR.

Aug. 29, 1950 G. w. BROWN ETAL 2,520,114

APPARATUSFOR APPLYING PROTECTIVE COVERINGS Original Filed June 27, 1946 2 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GQOVEQ W? BQOWM VICTOR E METZ g /maml A Tree/vs Y Patented Aug. 29, 1950 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PROTECTIVE COVERIFKES Grover W. Brown, Wyckofi, and Victor E. Metz, Rutherford, N. J., assignors to The Okonite Company, Passaic, N. .l., a corporation of New Jersey ()riginal application June 27, 1946, Serial No. 679,732. Divided and this application July 15,

1949, Serial No. 105,008

Claims. 1

Our invention relates to apparatus for applying a layer of rubber or rubber-like material to Weatherstripping as a protective covering.

The Weatherstripping to be covered is made in several steps. The first step is to weave a cloth web containing steel wire. The next step involves the extrusion and continuous cure of a round cylinder of sponge rubber or a rubber-like material along one edge of the cloth web so that the same is embedded in this cylindrical member. The cylindrical ne or head and the web are bonded to each other.

The next step is the application of an outer protective covering to this assembly, this covermg being of rubber or rubber-like material. It is this step with which the present invention is concerned primarily.

Where the outer protective covering is in the nature of a film as distinguished from a cover of substantial th ckness, it may be applied by the latex dip process. Where this protective covering is very heavy, say one-eighth inch in thickness, then it may be applied by extrusion.

Where the covering is to be intermediate these two thicknesses difiiculty is encountered, this difficulty being overcome by the apparatus of the present invention.

Generally speaking, our invention provides an apparatus wherein a metal-backed tape-like strip of the unvulcanized covering material is folded about the Weatherstripping including the webbing, the edges of the covering material being Ilgrought together at the outer edge of the webing.

The assembly is then vulcanized and the metal backing removed leaving the Weatherstripping completely covered with a vulcanized material.

In the accompanving drawings we have i1lustrated a machine embod ing our invention.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine of Fig 1;

the web and vulcanized to bond the two together. This is conventional practice, and the covering material is to be applied to this assem-, bly so as completely to cover the same.

In accordance with our invention we prepare a tape 6 of rubber or rubber-like material which is to constitute the covering material and back this tape with tin 8. This covering material at this stage is unvulcanized.

The tin backed covering tape is fed between a forming roller I0 and a pair of conical side forming rollers i2. The periphery of the forming roller I0 is provided with a bead I4, and the side forming rollers l2 are provided with peripheral grooves I6 complementary to the bead M, so that as the tin backed covering tape passes between the roller i0 and the side forming rollers it will be bent to the shape of the bead t of the weather-stripping. The side rollers 52 press the tin-backed covering tape against the inside roller It! at the lowest point of revolution of roller I0, so that as the covering tape is dragged forward the inside forming roller it spreads the covering tape slightly as seen in Fig. 4. This facilitates forcing of the Weatherstripping into place as will be brought out presently.

The Weatherstripping to be covered is fed in from the side of the machine between a pair of rollers I8 having a peripheral groove as for the reception of the bead 4 of the Weatherstripping. The Weatherstripping passes downwardly about a roller 22 which is disposed in the path of the covering tape, the axis of th s roller being transverse of the direction of travel of the tape. This roller is provided with a peripheral slot 26 for the reception of the webbing 2 of the weatherstripping.

The periphery of roller 22, it will be appreciated, will force the Weatherstripping downwardly between the two sides of the covering tape, the bead l bottoming on the covering tape. The covering tape and the Weatherstripping then pass beneath and in contact with the periphery of roller 28. This roller has a grooved periphery and a peripheral slot which partially closes the sides of the coverng tape upon the webbing 2, the final forming of the covering tape being accomplished by a pair of contour rollers 32 rotatable about axes disposed transverse to the tape and weather stripping and at to the axes of rollers 22 and 28. These rollers 32 have a peripheral groove 34 and fiat surface 35, by which the covering material is squeezed into intimate contact, with the Weatherstripping, these rollers also pinching the opposed sides of the covering :material together just beyond the edge of the web 2 as shown at 3B in Fig. 6, so that the Weatherstripping is completely covered from end cto end.

It will be seen from all of the foregoing that we have provided an apparatus for covering Weatherstripping whereby the same is completely covered, the apparatus being adapted for covering the Weatherstripping in continuous lengths.

It will be seen from the drawings that the rollers I5, I2, I8, 22 and 28 are all adjustably mounted so that the machine is adapted to handle stripping of different sizes if desired.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts within the purview of our invention.

This application is a division of our co-pending application, Serial No. 679,732, filed June 27, 1946.

What we claim is:

1. A machine for applying a covering to Weatherstripping which comprises a web and a continuous bead along one edge of the web, said machine comprising the combination of a support for the continuous advance of a strip of covering material, forming rollers in the path of the advancing covering material for bending the same laterally to the general contour of the weatherstripping, a pair of rollers above said support for continuously feeding the weatherstripping into contact with the preformed covering material after the Weatherstripping passes said pair of rollers, and a pair of contour rollers following the last-mentioned rollers for pressing the covering strip into intimate contact with the Weatherstripping and to bring the opposed surfaces of the covering strip into contact with each other beyond the outer edge of the Weatherstripping web.

.2. A machine for app'lyinga covering to weatherstripping which comprises a web and a continuous bead along one edge of the Web, said machine comprising the combination of a sup- .port for the continuous advance of a strip of .covering material, a center roller and a roller partially assembled Weatherstripping and covering strip, this last mentioned roller being provided with a peripheral groove and a peripheral slot for the reception of the bead, web and covering strip, and a pair of opposed rollers following the roller last mentioned for pressing the covering material into intimate contact with the Weatherstripping and to press the opposed edge surfaces of the covering strip into contact with each other along the outer edge of the web of the Weatherstripping.

3. A machine for applying a covering to weatherstripping which comprises a fabric web and a continuous head of rubber extending along one edge of the web, said machine comprising in combination a support for a strip of covering material, a central roller and a roller at each side thereof for folding or forming the advancing covering material to the general contour of the Weatherstripping, a roller for feeding the weatherstripping between the two sides of the covering strip, a roller following the last-mentioned roller provided with a peripheral groove and contact at the edge of the Web of the weatherstri ping.

4. A machine for applyin a covering strip to Weatherstripping which comprises a web and a continuous bead along one edge of the web, said machine comprising in combination a support for the continuous advance of a strip of covering material, a pair of bead forming rollers and an intermediate roller in the path of the advancing covering material for bending the covering material as it is being continuously advanced to form a two-ply web united along one edge by a head, a pair of rollers above said support for continuousiy feeding the Weatherstripping into contact with the shaped covering material, and a pair of rollers following the last-mentioned rollers for pressing the covering strip into intimate contact with the Weatherstripping about the bead and the sides of the web thereof and to bring the opposed surfaces of the covering strip into contact with each other beyond the outer edge of the Weatherstripping web.

5. A machine for applying a covering strip to Weatherstripping which comprises a web and a continuous bead along one edge of the web, said machine comprising in combination a support for the continuous advance of a strip of covering material, a pair of opposed rollers and an intermediate cooperating roller in the path of the advancing covering material, the opposed rollers having grooved peripheries and rotating on axes normal to the direction of travel of the covering material, the intermediate roller rotating about an axis transverse to the direction of travel of the covering materialand provided with a continuous peripheral bead cooperating with peripheral grooves in the said opposed rollers, whereby as the covering material is advanced it will be bent to provide a double walled web united along one edge by a.hollow bead, a pair of advancing rollers above said support, a cooperating roiler beneath the said advancing rollers and disposed in the .ath of the formed covering material, the said advancing rollers and said cooperating roller advancing the .weatherstripping into contact with the covering material with the bead of the Weatherstripping lying in the hollow bead of the covering material and the web of the Weatherstripping lying between the two walls of the web of the covering material, and a pair of pressing rollers following the said advancing rollers for pressing the covering strip into intimate contact with the Weatherstripping about the bead and the sides of the web thereof and to bring the opposed surfaces of the covering strip into contact with each other beyond the outer edge of the Weatherstripping web.

GROWR W. BROWN. VICTOR E. METZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,622,340 Paeplow 'Mar. 29, 1927 2,195,046 Best Mar. 26, 1940 2,358,142 Carlin Sept. 12, 1944 

